We're talking about the fascinating link between the mouth and the heart, and how tiny microbes play a big role. Tune to find out what oral health can tell us about overall health.

Special Guest: Dr. Jessica Mark Welch

For more information, show notes and transcripts visit https://www.ada.org/podcast

Show Notes

• In this episode, we're connecting the dots between the oral microbiome and overall health and talking about the fascinating link between the mouth and the heart, and how tiny microbes play a big role.

• Our guest for this episode is Dr. Jessica Mark Welch, a Senior Scientist and Full Professor at the ADA Forsyth Institute in Somerville, MA. Dr. Mark Welch and her team use both imaging and DNA sequencing approaches to investigate the structure and organization of the oral microbiome. She is co-developer of the Combinatorial Labeling and Spectral Imaging-Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (CLASI-FISH) strategy for imaging the spatial organization of microbial communities, with which she and her colleagues have discovered highly organized, complex structures in human dental plaque and on the human tongue. Her group uses DNA sequence data to construct pangenomes of oral microbes and examines metagenomic data to investigate why different bacteria live where they do, and how we can encourage the growth of health-promoting bacteria in the mouth. Dr. Mark Welch curates the Human Oral Microbiome Database to provide the research community with high-quality, curated information about oral bacteria, their genomes, and their distribution throughout the mouth.

• Dr. Mark Welch explains her work with oral microbiome, and the connection between heart health and oral health. She shares that the mouth contains hundreds of bacterial species that form distinct communities on teeth (dental plaque) and on the tongue (tongue biofilm). A balanced oral microbiome supports normal metabolism and contributes to blood pressure regulation.

• Researchers are investigating why so many different bacterial species coexist in the mouth and how these interdependent microbial communities share metabolic functions to support each other.

• Dr. Mark Welch says her research explores how differences in people's mouth bacteria might explain varied responses.

• The conversation shifts to the implications of microbiome research for oral health and how a deeper understanding of bacterial communities could eventually influence approaches to patient care.

Resources

• Learn more about the research from the ADA Forsyth Science Institute.

• See what makes ADA Forsyth® dentech™ the top conference for oral health innovation — find out more.

• Stay connected with the ADA on social media! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok for the latest industry news, member perks and conversations shaping dentistry.

A clinical conversation about the updated recommendations to enhance radiography safety in dentistry.

Special Guest: Dr. Erika Benavides

For more information, show notes and transcripts visit https://www.ada.org/podcast

Show Notes

• In this episode, we are having a clinical conversation about the updated recommendations to enhance radiography safety in dentistry.

• We explore the major changes from previous guidelines, the rationale behind discontinuing patient shielding, the importance of patient‑centered imaging, and practical implications for dentists and academics.

• Our guest is Dr. Erika Benavides, a Clinical Professor and Associate Chair of the Division of Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Radiology, and the Director of the CBCT Service at the University of Michigan, School of Dentistry. She is a Diplomate and Past President of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (ABOMR). She also served as Councilor for Communications of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and Chair of the Research and Technology Committee. Dr. Benavides is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and has published multiple peer-reviewed manuscripts in the multidisciplinary aspects of diagnostic imaging. She has been a co-investigator in NIH funded grants for the past 10 years and recently served as the Chair of the expert panel to update the 2012 ADA/FDA recommendations for dental radiography. Her clinical practice is dedicated to interpretation of 2D and 3D dentomaxillofacial imaging.

• The two-part recommendations were updated by an expert panel which included radiologists, general and pediatric dentists, a public health specialist, and consultants from nearly every dental specialty.

• Dr. Benavides shares some of the main takeaways and new updates is that that lead aprons and radiation collars are no longer recommended. This recommendation includes all dental maxillofacial imaging procedures and applies to most patients.

• Also, a recommendation to avoid routine or convenience imaging, and focus instead of patient-centered imaging, based on the patients' specific needs. And, when possible, previous radiographs should be obtained.

• Dr. Benavides shares that imaging must be patient‑specific, not protocol-driven, and encourages dentists to ask the following questions before dental imaging: "Do we need this additional information? Is this additional information going to change my diagnosis, or it's going to contribute to the diagnosis and treatment planning?"

• The group discusses some of the possible challenges, and opportunities, to implement these new recommendations.

Resources:

• This episode is brought to you by Dr. Jen Oral Care. Learn more about Dr. Jen.

• Read the full clinical recommendations American Dental Association and American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology patient selection for dental radiography and cone-beam computed tomography

• Find more ADA resources on X-Rays and Radiographs.

• Stay connected with the ADA on social media! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok for the latest industry news, member perks and conversations shaping dentistry.

A look at the top trends and challenges for dentists in 2026. Dr. Marko Vujicic, chief economist and vice president of the ADA Health Policy Institute, shares the industry predictions to help you prepare for the year ahead.

Special Guest: Dr. Marko Vujicic

For more information, show notes and transcripts visit https://www.ada.org/podcast

Show Notes

• In this episode, we're looking at the top trends and challenges for dentists in 2026 with our guest Dr. Marko Vujicic, chief economist and vice president of the ADA's Health Policy Institute.

• The episode starts by looking back at the predicted dental trends for 2025, which were staffing shortages, insurance challenges, and rising overhead costs.

• When speaking about economic confidence, Vujicic notes that at the end of 2024 dentists expressed a significant rise in economic optimism about the stability of the dental sector. But, by the end of 2025 confidence levels had dipped, and practice confidence dropped as well due to tariffs, economic uncertainty, and larger national concerns.

• The ADA's Health Policy Institute (HPI) conducts quarterly surveys. Dentists are invited to enroll in the panel by emailing [email protected] to help share their experiences and strengthen national data.

• Dentists were asked about their biggest expected challenges for 2026, and they reported that their core issues remain consistent with last year's, but with insurance leading the list, followed by staffing shortages and overhead cost increases. These issues remain steady across urban and rural practices, as well as with different practice modalities.

• About 90% of dental practices report they are still struggling with hiring staff, even though there's a growing pipeline of dental hygienist graduates, and a rebound in patient volume. The conversation explores whether technology could help with this issue, but dentistry remains a hands-on profession with limits on how much can actually be automated.

• Dentists shared with ADA's HPI that this year they intend to hire more staff, reevaluate their insurance networks, and invest in equipment, technology and software.

• Some key findings from HPI's Practice Ownership Trends report shows that today's early-career experience is very different from past generations with a delayed path to practice ownership. Data shows that most dentists will eventually become owners, just later in their careers. The major change: ownership is delayed, not disappearing.

• Another interesting theme that emerged from the data was the generational, cultural, and priority shifts happening in the profession. Also, HPI introduces fresh insights into gender pattens that show that even though women start with a lower rate of practice ownership than men, the ownership gender gap closes by mid- and late- career.

• The conversation shifts to explore the challenges and opportunities from the broader national policy forces shaping dentistry in 2026, and the impact of the economic data influencing decisions in multiple states.

• HPI continues their research and is focusing on tracking emerging dental policy issues, research on the impact of Dental Loss Ratio (DLR) regulations, and forthcoming analysis of oral trends within Medicare Advantage, to list a few.

Resources

• Read ADA's Health Policy Institute's report Practice Ownership Trends in Dentistry: A New Look at Old Data.

• Learn more about HPI's latest studies and publications, including those mentioned in this episode.

• Share your experience with us! Dentists are invited to enroll in the HPI panel by emailing [email protected].

• For more information on the ADA's Health Policy institute, visit their website ADA.org/HPI.

• Connect with Dr. Marko Vujicic.

• Subscribe to the ADA's HPI Newsletter.

A conversation on leadership and what the future of our profession could look like. We're talking with ADA President Dr. Rich Rosato.

For more information, show notes and transcripts visit https://www.ada.org/podcast

Show Notes

• In this episode, listen to a conversation on leadership and the future of the dental profession with ADA President Dr. Richard Rosato.

• Dr. Richard Rosato, a Concord, New Hampshire, oral surgeon is president of the American Dental Association. In addition to being a past president of the New Hampshire Dental Society, he's served on various ADA committees, councils, and task forces, later representing District One on the ADA Board of Trustees from 2019-2023. The married father of three is a graduate of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.

• Dr. Rosato reflects on transitioning into the role of ADA President, and shares his focus on unity, visibility, and action across the profession.

• What are the key priorities of Dr. Rosato's leadership? He shares with our audience the philosophy and pillars of his ADA presidency, including the long‑term vision for shaping the future of dentistry through Oral Health 2050, a forward‑looking initiative designed to guide the profession. The effort includes the development of five expert panels focused on the topics that matter most to dentists and their patients.

• The importance of dentists' voices at both the state and national levels is reinforced by Dr. Rosato, as he addresses declining membership numbers, while encouraging active engagement as a way for members to shape policy, direction, and the future of the profession.

• The discussion reinforces the importance of dentist participation at both the state and national levels. Dr. Rosato encourages active engagement as a way for members to shape policy, direction, and the future of the profession.

• Dr. Rosato underscores his trust in collective dialogue, diverse viewpoints, and allowing thoughtful processes to unfold by sharing his belief that the "smartest person in the room is always the room" itself.

• How can effective leaders handle friction? Dr. Rosato discusses one of his most significant leadership challenges and highlights the importance of leading with both short‑term realism and long‑term optimism. Rather than viewing limitations as setbacks, he explains how constraints challenge leaders to be more creative, innovative, and intentional in shaping meaningful solutions for members.

Resources

• Read the statement on clinical autonomy referenced in this episode.

• Learn more about advocacy and how you can join the ADA, America's leading oral health advocate, in fighting for what matters to you and your patients.

• Connect with Dr. Rosato on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or email at [email protected].

• Stay connected with the ADA on social media! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok for the latest industry news, member perks and conversations shaping dentistry.

More answers to the top questions every dentist should know. We're diving into employment law questions and practical resources to address the legal issues relevant to you, your team, and your practice.

Special Guests:

• Michael Kim, ADA Associate General Counsel

• Christy Picker Rothchild, ADA General Counsel

For more information, show notes and transcripts visit https://www.ada.org/podcast

Dental misinformation is spreading fast across social media, and it is challenging evidence-based care. On this episode of Dental Sound Bites, we explore how dental professionals can talk to their patients and counter false claims with science, empathy, and clinical authority.

Special Guests:

• Dr. Tricia Quartey-Sagaille

• Dr. Ashley Lerman

For more information, show notes and transcripts visit https://www.ada.org/podcast

We're talking about dollars and decisions. From the latest information on student loans, to how to start strong and set yourself up for success as new practice owner.

Special Guests:

• Dr. Michael Jerkins

• Alex Macielak

For more information, show notes and transcripts visit https://www.ada.org/podcast

Uncomfortable conversations, sticky situations, cringe-worthy moments, and the million-dollar question: what's the right thing to do? We're exploring the ethics of your dental ethical dilemmas.

Special Guests:

• Dr. James Purvis

• Dr. Connie Wang

• Mr. Jaylon Johnson

• Dr. Akeadra Bell

For more information, show notes and transcripts visit https://www.ada.org/podcast

We have a very special guest to talk about leadership and why leadership skills are a must for today's evolving dental landscape. We'll also hear from two other dentists about how to develop leadership skills and become strong leaders, and why it's essential for shaping the future of the profession.

Special Guests:

• Dr. Elizabeth "Betsy" Shapiro, ADA Interim Executive Director

• Dr. Yanina Jouzy, Sunshine Smile Dental & Orthodontics, ADA Leadership Institute Graduate

• Dr. Richard Valachovic, Clinical Professor and Executive Director of the NYU Dentistry Center for Oral Health Policy and Management

For more information, show notes and transcripts visit https://www.ada.org/podcast

We're tackling the widespread misunderstanding about insurance, how it works, navigating the challenges, and what's being done to help dentists on this issue.

Special Guest: Dr. Sara Stuefen

For more information, show notes and transcripts visit https://www.ada.org/podcast